Of the 11 years that I have been driving, I finally banged up my first car today...the company Taurus (aka, The Turtle).
Long story [not so] short, near the end of the main road into my office complex, there is a large, downhill right-hand turn. Upon entering this turn, I noticed an Explorer near the end of the turn on the wrong side of the road. I began to slow, mildly, to allow time for him to see me. As he maintained his course, I progressively applied the brakes until I was into ABS, at which point I backed off a touch as I hate steering under such conditions. By this time, the oncoming driver hadn't moved to the proper side of the road and I decided it was time to take action. To my right was a transformer cabinet beyond a curb on which I wasn't about to park a car and to my front was a 3000 LB projectile. I, evasively, turned sharply to my left in an attempt to swing around him in the opposing lane. Halfway through my move, he finally noticed me and decided to turn in the same direction that I was already headed...where we met at about 25 MPH per vehicle. Both cars landed parellel past the curb in the grass. I stopped <4" from a tree, heh.
Both cars were banged up pretty well with broken headlights and radiators. However, the front of the Explorer had been shifted laterally by about 2" and the front pass. door wouldn barely open. The Taurus looks fixable though the front right suspension is damaged and the front pass. door, fender, hood, headlight, and bumper will need to be replaced. There was no air-bag deployment.
The cops were called and the other guy was ticketed and deemed at fault. All parties involved were uninjured, etc. I have pics on my cell, but it'll be Monday before I can download them.
What a way to finish off an already crappy week. yay
Long story [not so] short, near the end of the main road into my office complex, there is a large, downhill right-hand turn. Upon entering this turn, I noticed an Explorer near the end of the turn on the wrong side of the road. I began to slow, mildly, to allow time for him to see me. As he maintained his course, I progressively applied the brakes until I was into ABS, at which point I backed off a touch as I hate steering under such conditions. By this time, the oncoming driver hadn't moved to the proper side of the road and I decided it was time to take action. To my right was a transformer cabinet beyond a curb on which I wasn't about to park a car and to my front was a 3000 LB projectile. I, evasively, turned sharply to my left in an attempt to swing around him in the opposing lane. Halfway through my move, he finally noticed me and decided to turn in the same direction that I was already headed...where we met at about 25 MPH per vehicle. Both cars landed parellel past the curb in the grass. I stopped <4" from a tree, heh.
Both cars were banged up pretty well with broken headlights and radiators. However, the front of the Explorer had been shifted laterally by about 2" and the front pass. door wouldn barely open. The Taurus looks fixable though the front right suspension is damaged and the front pass. door, fender, hood, headlight, and bumper will need to be replaced. There was no air-bag deployment.
The cops were called and the other guy was ticketed and deemed at fault. All parties involved were uninjured, etc. I have pics on my cell, but it'll be Monday before I can download them.
What a way to finish off an already crappy week. yay
